Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, which dropped the team’s record to 16-9-2.
On where the game got away from the team:
Their power play got a couple of goals. I thought it was a pretty solid game. We worked and competed.
We took too many penalties.
At the end of the game on the 6-on-4, we have to come up with a better play there and a little more urgency in our play, in my opinion.
On Max Pacioretty’s two penalties in his return to the lineup:
A little aggressive at times. He hasn’t played in a while. He wants to be physical and do what he does.
We just went to the box too much in general — five times. There are good players over there.
On the decision to place Pacioretty on the Matthews-Marner line:
I just felt like he was going to be a heavy player for them down low in the offensive zone. We ended up getting a goal out of it.
I thought Max did a good job with those guys. It kind of maybe died off a little later in the game. He hadn’t played in a while.
On whether the team generated more extended offensive-zone shifts tonight:
I thought we were really good tonight in the offensive zone. We played our game. We forechecked well. We had good o-zone time and opportunities. I was happy with a lot of the game.
There are things we can always clean up, right? But I liked the effort and compete, which were really good. The guys were skating and working.
A lot of good things, but we have to clean up a few things and be better.
On the lack of depth contributions offensively:
For sure, we need some guys to contribute in the bottom six. We have to find a way to manufacture some goals from those guys for sure.
On Matthew Knies’ performance:
I thought he got better as the game went along, to be honest with you. Coming back from his injury, he has been okay — a little tentative — but I thought he broke through that tonight a little bit. He had some opportunities and was physical again. It was good to see that.
On the message to Nick Robertson with tonight’s healthy scratch:
He just has to play better. That is it. We all know that. I talked to him today about it. We will figure it out.
It is my job and the coaching staff’s job to help him. It is his job to find a way to play better hockey. He is capable of it. He has ability — speed, a good shot. We have to find a way to get him going.
